dearest politicians, with sincerity:

If I may have one minute of your time, since time is all you seem to have at the moment, I just have one question for you:

If America’s forefathers stood before you right this very second, what would your reaction be?

Most of you should be hanging your heads in shame, right this very second.  Most of us Americans are already doing so. 

Join us.  For once.  We are already hanging our heads because of you.

I beg that our dead forefathers could awaken and return.  I beg to know how every single one of you current leaders would appear to the very men who begged and bled and awakened and died and BUILT this country and her rights and freedoms…how would you be judged by previous leaders who wept for nationwide equality and tolerance, who sacrificed for better lives for all, if they were to appear before you? 

What would you say to nothing more than their questioning eyes?

Your answer is more important to many, despite budget cuts, taxes, breaks, or any kind of cliffs I can think of…and despite whatever side we choose to stand with.

As I stand and beg, just a commonfolk and young American, I think of all those who have stood in this very place your shoes currently inhabit, and I am embarrassed for you.

I beg to know if any one of you could stand to meet our forefathers’ eyes with your own?  With the current state of this poor country, and what bleak future seems to lie ahead, I dare you to assume you have any worth to meet your eyes with real leaders. 

What would they say?  If they appeared, surveyed, assessed, confirmed, understood every current circumstance surrounding every issue which consumes and defines America, what would the end result make them feel like?

Dare I say they would feel shocked?  I assume each forefather would feel confused, baffled, disgusted, and ANGRY.  I can only imagine the embarrassment, the disgrace, the humility, the bewilderment that our strong, just, weary foreleaders would be overwhelmed with.  The ghostly men would not have to use their mouths, their eyes instead begging for answers –

“How dare you?  How could you?  AND WHY?”

I would offer my voice as a vessel with hope that they would say to you:

“But we worked SO HARD FOR SO LONG on what you have quickly bent, twisted, abused, disrespected, dismantled, and disregarded! 

“Why are any of you REALLY HERE?  What is your intent, because it is obviously not FOR THE PEOPLE?  If you are not one of many, if you are here as one and one only, this place DOES NOT welcome you! 

“You have come not for united justice but for greed and self-preservation.  You have filled the heads of our people with lies as you’ve filled your pockets and the pockets of false leaders with profit.  You walk in with deceitful, squeaky shoes and leave a trail of filth and neglect.  How dare each one of you, with your misguided, selfish greed, have the nerve to walk into OUR HOME, the HOME we built from honest intentions, true visions, spirit-breaking sacrifices, and ABUSE IT ALL for profit stemmed from greed, corruption, and LOST FOCUS!

How dare you?”

I would laugh and cry with pride and fear as each one of you would have to stand before our troubled forefathers and offer the truths of your intentions…assuming your legs could bear your heavy hearts and guilty consciences.  My only fear is that, even standing in front of true leaders and forefathers of the USA, you would STILL cower but lie to the very people who provided you the opportunity to be there in the first place. 

I beg of you now.  Stand in front of the person I am, but see a FOUNDER of whom you ride the coattails. 

WHY ARE YOU HERE? 

WHY SHOULD YOU STAY? 

WHAT ARE YOUR HONEST INTENTIONS?

If they are NOT the same of the men you swore to represent, GET OUT.

 

You are not leaders.  You are not wise judges and objective decision-makers.  You are scoundrels who abuse the titles you wear…titles that you should be wearing respectfully, but instead are MUCKING UP WITH YOUR RUBBISH AND GREED.  Such titles were once respected and admired, but now your powerful titles simply disgust and embarrass many Americans. 

Americans have lost FAITH and RESPECT for you members who aren’t but parasites feeding from the foundation of this country. 

A true, good leader is composed of wisdom, vision, courage, determination, passion, dedication, and strength!

 

Vision strong enough to remain focused on the best outcome amid a cloud of interruption and haze, not just eyes that only see immediate profit for a minority! 

Dedication to a majority who depend on and invest in an honest voice, not dedication to powerful cowards who stuff your pockets with coins! 

Courage to remain focused and dedicated to the foundation of this country and the people who remain here proudly, despite your numerous choices to succumb to the weaker, glitzier, selfish outlets that sprinkle the path to true freedom with temptation!

Determination to remain courageous, dedicated, and envisioned through it all, until the end, where, at the end, you might turn around and view your journey with pride as you recognize that you have genuinely been a TRUE LEADER OF THIS MIGHTY NATION!

Do you have the STRENGTH to fight the flames that are DESTROYING our country and RAGING with greed, corruption, misguidance, confusion, fear, and self-preservation? 

Do you have the WISDOM to make genuine choices that will STRENGTHEN AMERICA, despite inhaling the smoke from these large flames? 

Are you leader enough to know HOW TO BE A LEADER? 

Are you leader enough to dedicate your time and focus your passion on a country whose foundation is unsteady and whose supports are weakening and threatening collapse? 

ARE YOU LEADER ENOUGH?

Return to me, a commongirl, if you’ve looked back to the eyes of our founders.   I beg you.

·     I beg you to look at ME, the fearful, faithless American, and meet my eyes. 

·     I beg of you to be honest – first with my forefathers, then with yourself, and finally, to me. 

·    I beg of you to make a WISE choice that perhaps defies the very reasons you were originally here, and instead is a wholesome investment into my country. 

·     I beg of you to become humble, focused, and dedicated – to me.  To your children.  To those who have lived and died as proud Americans…there are few remaining. 

·   I beg of you to challenge yourself – are you WORTHY of the role you have assumed, and are you SINCERE about your intentions and visions? 

Are you WILLING enough, COURAGEOUS enough, to empty your pockets and offer yourselves as TRUE LEADERS of this country – these states that are filled with angry, confused, disillusioned, desperate, FAITHLESS, DOUBTFUL Americans…states that contain FIGHTING BROTHERS and wandering, discontented members? 

I beg of you.  Look around this once-mighty nation and truly see what exists.  I beg of you.  Turn then to our forefathers as if they stand before you.  I beg of you to answer the questions they would ask of you honestly.  I beg of you to then turn again and view the United States of America.

You are already part of America’s history – will you be recognized as a true leader, or a simple follower?  America is begging each and every one of you to remember her, to embrace her, to help her, to nurture her, to nourish her, to believe in her…She wants to be great again, and she has asked YOU to help. 

America is begging you to answer her – what is your answer?

sticks and stones

apparently, october is my children’s school’s anti-bullying month.

I know, I know…we never had such thing growing up.

the ribbon is royal blue…and currently, my son’s favorite-of-the-month stuffed animal is wearing one. 

the homework last evening was pretty routine…until the last bullet point:  what does bullying mean?  what do you do if you are being bullied?  and a couple of other points that are important but not in front of me at the moment.

and...my 6-year-old has been bullied.  it’s been going on for three years.  half of his life, and he’s experienced consistent, albeit “nonaggressive,” bullying.

we talked about the person who doesn’t seem to have a kind bone in his or her body…he or she's come up in conversation many, many times in the past, and many are well aware of his/her nasty behavior. 

this kid has been bullying since he/she was three…and there doesn’t seem to be anyone who hasn’t been a target.

I feel so sorry for this young person, who obviously has something very wrong in his/her life. 

but I can’t fix that.  and I am Mama Bear when it comes to my children.  there came a time sometime last year when I had to tell my young son the facts, without any sugar coating:  throughout your life, you will run into someone who is just plain ol’ MEAN. you have to learn how to deal with it.

we’ve discussed many times what WE can do – we can try to help others sometimes...but sometimes, people are untouchable.  regardless, you have to take care of yourself.

this is where it becomes very difficult for me to teach.

I’ve NEVER been good at standing up for myself, even at 35 years of age.  I’ve always been a doormat, so to speak. I have recognized this issue and am working on resolving it…but how do you teach a foreign language to someone when you don’t understand it yourself?

where is the line between standing up for yourself and being aggressive, or becoming a bully yourself?  when is it time to stand up and say “enough of this…I will not tolerate your unacceptable behavior”?  HOW DO YOU DO THIS?

I’ve told my children, first and foremost, that if someone is doing something that makes them uncomfortable, find an adult they trust and say something.  I’ve told my son many times how proud I am of him for telling me, and for letting others he trusts know about it.  

but, of course, his question now is:  “I’ve been telling on her since we were three, but it never changes!” basically, he’s asking “what’s the point?”…and here again, I’m stumped. 

he’s right.  stand up, speak out…but then what?

it’s a core value of mine to teach my children about respecting themselves, and others, regardless of the issue.  I try to consistently teach (and model) that speaking the truth does not have to equal being mean.  sure, it's hard sometimes to have the courage to speak the truth, and sure, the truth may hurt when stated and not sugar-coated…but emotions will come and go while truth will remain.  I hope my kids are understanding the value of being responsible for themselves and their choices…and that perhaps modeling good behavior and wise choices might positively influence others around them. 

I think my son has realized in this particular situation that this peer’s bullying doesn’t seem to be specifically designed just for him.  he recognizes that he/she bullies everyone around him/her, with or without reason.  I’ve recognized HIS recognition of this and commended him on remaining on the path he thinks is best – the path I suppose I have helped pave way.  that is what’s most frightening – the thought that there is error in the lessons I believe in and pass on to my children.  however, I’m (currently) confident that any errors made thus far are not malicious or intentional…I am doing the best I can. 

in my time, the rhyme went, “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”  that, in fact, is dead.  it has been replaced by a cheesier-yet-more-precise version:  

“sticks and stones can break my bones, and words can hurt my heart.” 

do as much eye-rolling as you wish…believe me, I’ve done my share of it, too.  but, like it or not, bullying has become a more significant issue in our current society (thanks to technology and awareness)…and now it’s personal, which always includes a more sensitive and respectful perspective when you've walked that mile...

ribbons and guest speakers and guts of glory from a first-grader...as always, as I am a teacher, I am also a student.  i think i like it this way, scary as it may be.

sticks and stones indeed break bones…but I’m learning to guard my heart.

deep breath, and...

My name is jt, and I am a Closet Writer.

That’s right – I’m using this blog today from my WA (Writers Anonymous) platform: 

Ready or not, here I am.

I’ve enjoyed writing for over 20 years…I even have a degree in print journalism (I know…it’s a dying industry.)  I have been told and encouraged by others for years that I should write…I always smile and graciously accept the compliments, even though my brain is screaming, “I do!  I want you to see it!  BUT I’M TOO SCARED.” 

Recently, I made my first international trip ever – to Ireland.  Had you told me just a month ago that I would be sitting here, typing aloud about my recent trip to Ireland, I would have suggested you go see a doctor. 

And then I would have laughed.  A lot.  And probably cried some, too. 

But, due to some incredible thoughtfulness, generosity, and most likely a little insanity, I was invited almost a month ago to be a guest with a couple whom I’ve known for many, many years.  I was floored, especially because I had, just earlier that same day, all but been prescribed a vacation.  (Yes, I really laughed at him, too.) 

I didn’t even have a passport. 

However, through a furious tear-apart of my house in search of my old one (you can still renew an expired passport!), support of family and friends, and the excuse that I had to go for my health (all moms need excuses to invest in themselves, it seems,) I drove over to Atlanta, applied for a passport IN PERSON…AND RECEIVED IT THE SAME DAY.  Stroke of luck, good timing, a sign…whatever it was, it happened…and I booked my flight to Ireland a week before the trip. 

And now I’m back. 

My point is not how grand it was, though that will probably be on this blog at some point.  I came back refreshed, renewed…and feeling like I no longer have a valid reason to NOT write out loud.  Although the fear is still there (I can only describe it as a sense of naked exposure, if you will,) meeting up with dear Ireland after 20 years of it calling to me has brought something out in me.  The Fighting Irish, I suppose? 

I’m a Mutt-merican…a mix of a few different ethnicities.  But, and you may blame it on being born with red hair or my freckled, white skin, I feel the Irish in me has always been the strongest streak. 

I felt like I was home on the first full day of experiencing the Emerald Isle.

So, here I am, ready or not.  Today, I am ready.  Tomorrow, I might not be…but I am stronger, regardless, and finally ready to answer another calling I’ve had for 20+ years – to "expose" myself to others, outside of my beloved pen and paper. 

I am full of neverending questions – answers only lead me to more questions – so I will ask many.  And I would sincerely love any input you may have…the tastiest parts of information are the ones I’ve never heard before.  I only ask that if you choose to respond, please do so respectfully…to me, to other readers, and to other responders.  Being honest does not have to equal being defensive or offensive…we do love our football, but this isn’t the right station for that.  I ask for simple consideration and respect of others’ opinions and thoughts, as you wish for others to offer you. 

And please note that any/everything on this blog is only based off of my own opinions, thoughts, curiosities, theories, and perceptions.  I am NOT a good source for FACTS – I don’t keep up well with the news, and I don’t believe in facts anyway.  After all, it was once a fact that the world was flat…and it was also once a fact that there were nine planets!  

(In my opinion, facts are simply hypotheses that remain consistent until they become otherwise…and decided by human brains…which most of us recognize as evolutionary, ugly little things.) 

But I digress.  This blog serves as an outlet for personal use. 

I am jt, and I am no longer a closet writer. 

happy trails.